


Love Is Alive, Living Things Adapt

by zelda_addict



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: A Little Medical Stuff, A/B/O, Alpha Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Angst with a Happy Ending, Beta Jared Padalecki, Bottom Jared Padalecki, Bottom Jensen Ackles, Come Inflation, Dub/Non-con of the Heat Trope Variety, Gangbang, Jealousy, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mild Belly Kink, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Jensen Ackles, Self-Lubrication, Top Jared Padalecki, Top Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Younger Jensen, non-graphic birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-28 17:05:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3862675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zelda_addict/pseuds/zelda_addict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A claim from Round 1 at spn-masquerade.</p><p>Original Prompt: "Omegas are incredibly rare and it's seen as good fortune to the pack if they have a bonded omega. So when one comes of age, every alpha in the pack has to attend their first heat in the hopes of finding the omegas match, and if a knotting takes place they're considered mated. </p><p>Jeff's happily married to beta Jatred, and hates the first heat ceremonies, but has no choice about participating. He always hangs back, hoping the omega will mate before his turn, but when the pack leader's youngest son has his ceremony, Jeff finds himself bonded to Jensen.</p><p>It's hard on all of them, Jared's jealous at first, and Jensen feels like he's intruding on a relationship where he isn't wanted. But the three of them have to figure it out in a hurry once they find out that Jensen's pregnant."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ready or Not

Most of the time, being an Alpha was full of perks. Alphas got first dibs on high ranking job positions, arguments almost always went in their favor, assuming the other party was not also an Alpha, and respect was automatically granted to Alphas, so long as they weren’t foolish enough to give others a reason to take it back. First heat ceremonies were _supposed_ to be another perk, but Jeff had never seen them that way, even before he’d mated with his husband Jared, who happened to be a Beta.

In fact, it was one of the shared opinions that had brought Jeff and Jared together in the first place. Jared had a cousin who was an Omega, and he’d gone out and gotten falling down drunk after his ceremony, loudly berating the “humiliating” and “ridiculously outdated and superstitious” tradition. A couple of young, hotheaded Alphas had decided to put the mouthy Beta in his place. Jeff, inclined to be equally disgusted by the spectacle and having been spared participation when the Alpha two places ahead of him in line had knotted the delirious young man, stepped in, and together, Jeff and Jared had held their own until being placed in the drunk tank overnight together for their trouble.

Fortunately, Omegas were very rare. Rarer than multiple births even, hence the good fortune associated with their presence. Jared’s cousin hadn’t even been born in their pack, his family having moved there after the death of the Alpha head of their household. The pack hadn’t seen a ceremony before that for ten years. There hadn’t been a knotting that time. That was almost worse. It meant the boy would be sent around to neighboring packs every following heat until he either found a bond mate or died from the stress of unabated heats. Jeff had nightmares about him sometimes; he never did hear whether the poor kid finally bonded or not.

The pack’s head Alpha’s youngest son was an Omega, and his first heat was due any day now. Occasionally, already mated Alphas could be allowed to bow out of the ceremonies, but with the prospect of losing a cherished child that was the spitting image of his now deceased mother, there was _no way_ Alpha Ackles would let any opportunity for a bonding slip by.

“It’s practically rape, you know,” Jared had grumbled at the breakfast table that morning, “for everyone involved. They shouldn’t be allowed to force you into it.”

“I know,” Jeff had agreed with a sigh. “You _know_ I know. If I thought I could get out of it, I would--in a heartbeat. I’ll hang out at the end of the line like I always have, and maybe I won’t have to do anything.”

“Except watch.” Jared’s normally cheerful expression was sour. “It’s a shame. Jensen’s a nice kid--real shy.” Jared taught English at the pack high school, just like his mother had before retiring. Jensen had been in one of his classes two years ago.

“Maybe he’ll end up with someone who’ll treat him well.” It was a hollow reassurance.

The conversation had left a bad taste in Jeff’s mouth that had spoiled his lunch. Now his unhappy stomach grumbled while he tried to write up his report on his client meeting from earlier in the day.

He didn’t even look up when there was a knock at his office door.

“Jeff,” his personal assistant, Alona, began, sounding a bit nervous, which was unusual for the plucky, blonde Beta, “it’s time.”

“It can’t be 2:30 already!” Jeff exclaimed, still focused on his typing. He never had gotten the hang of looking away from the keyboard. “Tell Beaver I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Not the Kripke meeting,” she corrected him, “the ceremony.”

A>B>O>A>B>O

If Jensen had known this was going to be his last free morning, he would have skipped his college courses and done something crazy like bungee jumping, or sky diving, or getting a scandalous tattoo. Instead, he woke up late, barely had time to grab a granola bar for breakfast, and possibly bombed a pop quiz in a class he might never attend again unless his Alpha allowed it.

An Omega’s first heat always hit before twenty, and Jensen’s birthday was only three months away, so everything for the ceremony was ready to go, except him.

He wondered if he would’ve handled it better if it were some terrible surprise kept from him like some ultra-traditional packs did. As it was, as far back as he could remember, Jensen had always been told, daily and repeatedly, how _special_ he was.

“Omegas are a rare blessing.”

“You’ll bring good fortune to this pack someday.”

“Any Alpha would be lucky to have you, Jensen.”

All of it seemed to be about him providing for others, like he was some sort of sacrifice. Never was it “we hope _you’ll_ be happy” or “ _your_ future is bright.”

His mind always swam with images and stories from his history classes. For years, Omegas were kept locked away, constantly pregnant to bolster the inconsistent fertility of Betas, barely permitted to leave bedrooms at all, and certainly never allowed out in public. Times had changed, but he’d heard enough from macho, Alpha classmates to know they hadn’t changed nearly enough.

He’d first begun producing slick at puberty, and it happened at the drop of a hat like Alpha and Beta guys popped stiffies. Then things had settled down, and he only lubed up when he was really aroused, which wasn’t often. That’s how he knew his dreaded heat had arrived because economics class was the furthest thing from sexy, and the professor reminded him of his grandma.

His mind started to go fuzzy soon after. He had a vague impression of being taken elsewhere, dragged out of class in front of everyone, the seat of his pants probably sopping. Voices spoke at him, but he couldn’t make any sense of it. He felt a stabbing pain in his abdomen, and a small part of his brain knew that was the beginning of ovulation, his ovaries preparing to release an egg in the event of the proper trigger. His body wanted a knot, though he’d never had one, afraid even to try a dildo with one. The last conscious thought he could recall later was, “I’m not ready for this.”

A>B>O>A>B>O

There was something distinctive about the scent of Omega slick. Some Betas could produce it too, but it wasn’t quite the same. The secretions of an _in heat_ Omega were nigh unto irresistible. The ceremonial chamber was heavy with the scent of Jensen, and it hit Jeff stronger than he remembered from his past experiences.

He leaned against the wall at the back of the waiting group. He couldn’t be sure how long the proceedings had been underway, but at least one Alpha had already had his shot, given the smell of sex.

The smell and the sounds of skin on skin and breathy sighs and moans had Jeff hardening in his pants regardless of how he felt about the situation. By the time he had no choice but to move closer, he was hard enough to pound nails and painfully ready to get things over with if he had to do this.

He got his first glimpse of Jensen, and he had to admit the boy was beautiful. Jared was gorgeous too, of course, but Jensen was almost ethereal. Besides the pretty face, he had a lithe body, broad shoulders, and Jeff could tell when he reached full maturity, Jensen would be strong and sturdy. He was definitely what the less politically correct would call “good stock.”

The ground underneath the breeding stand was sticky and white, and once the current Alpha pulled out, having failed to tie, Jensen grunted, abdomen contracting rythmically as his body expelled the rejected semen.

Soon enough--too soon--Jeff was the only Alpha left. He unfastened his fly, but didn’t remove his pants. Some ridiculous part of his brain felt like it wasn’t really sex, wasn’t really cheating on Jared, if his clothes stayed on him.

He slid in easy, like a warm knife through butter, prepared as Jensen was by multiple sessions and his own slick. A large part of him was disgusted that this was sloppy who knew how many, but his baser instincts gloried in the warm, wet, soft.

Jensen had just laid there when Jeff watched before, the occasional vocalization his only contribution. Now, he inhaled deeply before panting and pushing back into Jeff’s thrusts. Jeff felt his silky walls suddenly tightening around him and he thought he was being rejected already until he began feeling pressure and resistance from his own end of things. He couldn’t believe it.

Jensen let out a pained keen as he tugged mindlessly against Jeff’s fully inflated knot. Jeff soothed him with firm strokes down his flanks and meaningless babbling in a comforting tone, but he was crying on the inside himself. 

What was he going to tell Jared? Both legally and traditionally, an Alpha-Omega bond held more weight than an Alpha-Beta one. A threesome wasn’t unheard of, but he couldn’t imagine how that could actually work in practice without hurt feelings and resentment all around.

As Jensen’s body milked him for every last drop, instead of a satisfied, post-orgasm haze, he felt only a cold dread. He wanted to trust that his relationship with Jared was strong, be he didn’t know if it was ready for a challenge like this.

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jared sat at the kitchen table, waiting to hear the sounds of Jeff coming home. News of the heat ceremony spread through the pack like wildfire, and it was all Jared could do to make it through his work day without having a public breakdown.

He told himself not to panic. Jeff always tried to hang around until last, so that could be what was keeping him. Maybe there was traffic. Maybe he was tied to a young, hot Omega, and Jared was the last thing on his mind.

No. Jared banished that thought firmly. Jeff loved him. They loved _each other_. Nothing forced on Jeff against his will could be stronger than what they already had.

His cell phone rang suddenly, startling him out of his introspection.

“Jeff?”

“Hey, sweetheart.” Just the sound of Jeff’s voice calmed him considerably.

“Is it over?” he asked, dreading the answer but needing to know just the same. “Did someone bond Jensen?”

“Yeah. Good news and bad news there.” Jeff paused. “Good news is that it’s someone who’ll treat him well. The bad news...”

“It’s you,” Jared finished for him.

“I’m afraid so.” Jeff sighed down the line, and he did sound pretty upset. “All the legal stuff’s been wrapped up, but Jensen’s gonna be in heat for a few more days. Can I bring him home or do you want me to get a hotel room? I mean, if you need...”

Did Jared need what? Time? Space? He was fairly certain he would never be able to get enough of either. “You may as well bring him here. I’ll have to get used to it eventually, right?”

“Jared...”

“I’ll make up the bed in the guest room for myself.” He hung up before he could say anything he’d regret later.

This had always been a background fear of Jared’s, a hazard of marrying an Alpha. Someday, an Omega might bond with his husband, providing what Jared couldn’t: knotting sex, described to be the best orgasms one could experience. Even though he had known from the beginning that is was a possibility, now that it was real, he wasn’t ready.


	2. Square Pegs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Living together is awkward and difficult.

Jeff actually knocked when he arrived with Jensen, and Jared soon discovered when he opened the door that it was because he was carrying the younger man. The image forcibly reminded Jared of wedding traditions, and he must not have been able to completely control his expression of dismay.

Jeff sighed. “He’s out cold for now,” Jeff explained. As if for emphasis, Jensen’s head lolled to the side, exposing an expanse of pale, freckled neck. There were no marks of passion there, and Jared recalled that the ceremony had very little to do with love or any warm feeling. Now he felt like a jerk.

He preceded his husband down the hall to open the bedroom door. “I, uh, changed the sheets for you,” he said just for something to break the awkward silence between them.

“Thanks. You didn’t have to.”

Except he did. Jared couldn’t stomach the thought of Jeff mounting Jensen on sheets he’d been lying on only hours ago, like a little piece of him would be a part of the proceedings.

“We can talk about this later.” Jared hurried away. He had no part to play in this. The first knotting had bound Jeff and Jensen together on a level deeper or at least very different than his own bond with Jeff. As long as the heat continued, they were likely to remain wrapped up in each other, and Jared didn’t need to see that.

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jeff wanted to follow Jared. Leaving this to fester would only make things worse, but as much as Jared needed him emotionally, Jensen had a real and immediate physical need for Jeff as his heat ran its course.

He almost hated how wonderful the knotting had felt. Everyone had heard the stories about it, how nothing could compare, but Jeff had prayed it was just hype. Jensen’s channel had fit him like a tailored glove, and no matter how much he’d mentally struggled with the idea, Jensen’s scent had driven his body wild. Even now, the scent was evolving from the sweet, pure scent of a virgin Omega to one that incorporated Jeff’s own smell, indelibly marking their bond to anyone with a nose.

Jeff refused to let himself be fully lost to the sensations of his new bond mate. He didn’t want to be too comfortable with this, not when Jared was so obviously upset by it. He also had no idea how Jensen would react once he regained awareness. 

So Jeff let his mind drift aimlessly, coming up with scenario after scenario of his planned discussion with Jared as his body pumped load after load of sperm into the pliant Omega. In a reverse of its prior actions, Jensen’s body now milked Jeff for all it could take, pulling his semen further into his depths. By the end of the heat, his flat belly would be slightly swollen with it.

Jeff shuddered in pleasure at the thought of Jensen ripe with a child. He and Jared had discussed children a few times, but it had never been a guaranteed thing. It seemed wrong to be able to reach that goal without Jared involved, too. Besides, he didn’t even know what Jensen thought about kids--he’d never even spoken to the boy!

“Just do what you have to, you dirty old man,” he berated himself under his breath. “Everything will straighten itself out later.” He hoped that was the truth.

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jensen woke up slowly. His brain was fairly alert--maybe a bit panicky and disoriented--but his body wasn’t responding. He took a few calming breaths and forced himself to assess the situation.

The last thing he remembered clearly was being taken from class because his heat had struck. He could tell that he was on a bed, but the mattress didn’t feel like his, so he wasn’t at home and he wasn’t still in the “ceremonial chamber.” There was no beeping or ambient noise like there would be in a hospital. The only alternative left was that he was in the bed and the home of whatever Alpha had bonded with him.

It really sucked that he didn’t even know who that was. If he was really lucky, whoever it was would let him finish school. Maybe he could convince his Alpha to let him take online classes, if he was a traditionalist that insisted Jensen not leave the house.

His limbs felt like lead, but he managed to stretch his legs, then hissed at the burn from between them. He shouldn’t be surprised--he’d been ridden hard by an unknown number of Alphas before he’d finally been knotted, then his bond mate had taken him home and continued mounting him until the heat broke, probably late last night. He inched a hand down to examine himself, searching out that uniquely Omega place between his small penis and his asshole. One might think he’d be loose after all that, but his breeding hole was swollen up tight, locking in his Alpha’s seed for a while yet. As his shaky hand made it’s way back up, he hesitantly brushed it over his tender and swollen belly. The bloat was like he had seriously overindulged, but he’d never matched this before, not even at Thanksgiving.

He gingerly sat up, realized he was naked, and pulled the sheet up over his lap, even though it wasn’t like his Alpha hadn’t already seen it all, _touched_ it all.

He looked around the room. The decor was simple and neat, modern without being minimalist. The bed was a California king. Personal items were on night-stands on both sides. Jensen had a sinking feeling about what that meant, but he didn’t want to jump to any conclusions.

A pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt were folded at the foot of the bed on his side. He didn’t feel up to dressing himself just yet--all that movement. He caught himself absently rubbing his distended middle, which seemed to stick out further now that he was sitting instead of lying down.

A pregnancy after a heat was by no means guaranteed, but it was a higher probability than normal sex, and first heat ceremonies were always bareback because exchanging bodily fluids was a key part of forming the bond. It was one thing to spend essentially his whole life knowing that he’d almost certainly have kids someday, but it was another thing entirely to look down at his stomach and wonder if he was pregnant _right now_. 

A knock on the door pulled him out of his brooding. He looked up to find a vaguely familiar face with a salt and pepper beard peeking around the open door.

“I see you’re awake.” The man ran a hand down his face as though he couldn’t believe how stupid a conversation starter that was. “I’d, uh, love to stay and talk about this some more, but I have to head into work, since your heat’s over now. I probably won’t be home until after six, but school gets out earlier, so Jared will be back by around four if you need anything. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the house--it’s your home now, too--and we’ll talk more tonight. Okay?”

What exactly was Jensen supposed to say to that? “Thanks, um...”

“Jeff!” He had apparently just realized he’d never mentioned his name. “I’m Jeff.”

“And Jared is...?” He couldn’t see Jeff’s left hand, but he was pretty sure he already knew.

“My mate,” Jeff admitted, forced cheerfulness gone and face solemn. “We’ve been married almost four years now.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve really got to go, but we’ll figure this out, okay?” Then he was gone. Jensen had never felt more out of place.

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jensen had to eventually venture out of the bedroom when he couldn’t ignore his growling stomach any more. He’d gone several days without food, and dammit, he was hungry!

He decided he’d just have a bowl of cereal because it was quick and used a minimum amount of dishes. He felt bad pawing through all the cupboards and drawers to find what he needed. The cereal selection was an odd mix of sugary cereals and more health-conscious, high fiber options. He settled on raisin bran.

Jensen finally remembered why Jeff’s face had seemed familiar--he’d seen him before when he’d stopped by his father’s office. Jeff Morgan worked in real estate and contract law, and all major decisions had to have the Alpha’s stamp of approval. His father had spoken well of him, so Jensen could at least be fairly certain he wasn’t a complete psychopath, and he’d seemed nice enough from their admittedly brief encounter.

He washed his bowl, spoon, and the other dishes in the sink, wanting to feel useful, as he considered the fact that he’d likely ruined Jeff’s marriage by accident. Whoever Jared was, it was _extremely_ unlikely that he’d just be totally okay with Jensen’s sudden intrusion into his life and home. Jeff had mentioned school and that they had been married for four years, so Jared would be a member of the staff. Jensen wondered if they had ever crossed paths before he graduated. Like most students, he knew all his teachers by last name but not necessarily first.

He heard the front door open and watched the door to the kitchen with a sense of impending doom. He was totally unprepared for the face that greeted him.

“M-Mr. Padalecki?”

“Hello, Jensen.”

A>B>O>A>B>O

The last few days had gone by in a bit of a miserable haze for Jared. Fortunately, the guest bedroom was far enough away from the master bedroom that he couldn’t hear anything, and he barely saw Jeff when he occasionally surfaced for food, always thoughtfully showered and fully clothed, but none of that kept his imagination at bay.

Jeff might be careful not to carry any hint of the goings on out of the room with him, but even though Jared was a Beta, just the second that door was open allowed the rich, heady scent of in heat Omega to waft its way into the rest of the house. He might not feel exactly the same primal draw, but he could feel enough to gather an inkling of what the pheromones must be doing to Jeff.

 _I can never give him that,_ a little voice wailed. _Why would he ever choose what we had before when Jensen can_ literally _drive him wild?_

He and Jeff never talked about it, operating under an unspoken understanding that Jensen needed to be a part of the conversation, too.

He did his best not to take his frustrations out on his students or coworkers, but with an Alpha-Omega mating being considered such great fortune, it was more than naïve to expect that the news hadn’t spread like wildfire. He wasn’t sure which were worse, the smug looks some of the more “traditional” pack members gave him, as though this were a just punishment for him daring to speak out against longstanding traditions, or the occasional looks of pity from his friends.

He wasn’t entirely sure how he knew that Jensen’s heat had ended this morning, but he did, and now he was unbelievably nervous about the dreaded three-way discussion hanging over them all like the sword of Damocles. Before that even, he was looking at a couple of hours alone with Jensen before Jeff came home. He hadn’t felt this unsettled in _years!_

He didn’t _have_ to go home right away. He could go to a movie or something... No. No, if he had to face possibly losing Jeff, he wouldn’t do it like a coward.

When he walked in the front door and saw Jensen standing at the kitchen sink, it struck him forcefully again that Jensen was still just a _kid_. He looked small and afraid with his hair half-flattened in an awful case of bed-head and wearing too big, borrowed sweats and a shirt.

“M-Mr. Padalecki?”

“Hello, Jensen.” At least he wasn’t the only one going into this terrified. “Let’s move to the living room. We’ll be more comfortable in there while we wait for Jeff.”

The living room _was_ more comfortable--physically at least. They sat in awkward silence, studiously avoiding eye contact.

“I ate a bowl of raisin bran,” Jensen suddenly blurted like he was confessing a crime. “I’m sorry if that’s your favorite or anything.”

Jared tried really hard not to smile, since Jensen was obviously being serious. “It’s not, and you’re welcome to anything in the kitchen, Jensen.” He didn’t add anything like “since you live here now” because he knew it would probably be months before the younger man felt like anything other than a visitor.

“Jeff said that, too.” Jensen nervously chewed his full bottom lip, and Jared felt terribly plain next to the gorgeous boy. Jared could freely acknowledge Jensen’s allure, and he was so shy and sweet that even though on some level Jared wanted to hate this interloper, he couldn’t bring himself to be harsh.

“Well, I guess that settles it then.” Jared needed to be _doing_ something to help calm his nerves. “I usually get started on dinner prep around now. Is there anything in particular you’d like, or we could order in?”

“I dunno.” Jensen’s right hand drifted down to run soothingly over his belly, and now that Jared looked, he could see the bloat remaining from the breeding session. He had a sudden, wild urge to pull up Jensen’s shirt and run his hands over the gentle swell, though he couldn’t fathom why. Maybe because it was Jeff who’d done that, his Jeff.

Jensen winced and shifted in his seat. “I’m, um, gonna go take a shower, if that’s okay?”

Jared remembered his biology classes; Jensen’s body was getting ready to finally release the seed it had carefully hoarded throughout the heat. He was profusely glad he’d never have to experience _that_ particular gem of Omegahood.

“There are clean towels in the cupboard to the left of the sink in the master bath,” he offered.

With a muttered thanks, Jensen shuffled down the hall and out of sight. He was just as adorable from behind. _Dammit._

Jared decided he didn’t really feel up to cooking. They could order pizza when Jeff got home. He switched on the t.v., hoping to lose himself in some mindless program.

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jeff had been known to exceed the posted speed limit on occasion, but today he found himself taking as long as possible to drive home from work. Tonight was going to be The Discussion with himself, Jared, and Jensen. He was certain he was going to come out of this looking like the bad guy to at least one of them and probably both.

There were multiple historical and even present examples of at least functional Alpha-Beta-Omega threesomes, but Jeff wanted to be more than just functional--Jeff wanted to be _happy_. Jensen couldn’t leave him because their bond connected them physically as well as emotionally, but Jared _could_ choose to walk away if it was all too much for him, and the thought of losing him hurt too much to even contemplate.

Jeff hated being in the middle. When he’d applied to the pack firm, he’d been told there were two open positions, the one he was eventually hired to fill and one in dispute mediation. He’d never been more relieved _not_ to be selected for something.

It wasn’t fair for him to force Jared and Jensen together, so he was going to have to suck it up and let himself be pulled in two directions. He would do his best to give them equal time. It was the only thing he could think to do. It probably wouldn’t be enough.

The house was quiet when he walked in the door, and for an instant he was afraid Jensen and Jared might have killed each other, but then he brushed off the ridiculous notion. Once he’d calmed down, he heard muffled voices from the living room and walked in to find Jared seated on the couch, watching some awful talent show’s auditions.

He sat down next to but not touching his husband. Until he had a better gauge of Jared’s mood, he wanted to give him a little space.

“Jensen’s in the shower,” Jared explained before Jeff could ask.

Jeff nodded in acknowledgement. “I thought you hated reality t.v.”

“I do, usually,” Jared agreed, “but right now I don’t want to think, and this crap is definitely mind-numbing.” 

Jeff winced as a hopeful contestant missed the proper pitch by a mile on a song he hated already. “I wish it would numb my _ears_.”

Jared chuckled at that, and it was one of the most beautiful things Jeff had ever heard. He hadn’t realized how much he’d truly missed Jared until now, and he savored the moment.

Jared must have been wrapped up in it too because neither of them noticed Jensen had entered the room until he spoke. “I know my vote probably doesn’t count for much, but can we change the channel?”

“We _could_ ,” Jared said as he switched off the television, “but we might as well have our talk first.”

There was a heavy silence until Jeff finally decided to break it. “Well, first things first--tomorrow is Saturday, so we can take the day to pick up Jensen’s things.”

“I don’t have very much,” Jensen added with a shrug, “just some clothes and a few electronics and books at the dorm. I’ll probably leave most of my things at my parents’ house.”

“If there’s not a lot, the two of you can go collect it, and I’ll move my things out of the master bedroom,” Jared declared.

“No!” Everyone, Jensen included, by his expression, was surprised by the Omega’s outburst. “No,” he repeated more softly, but no less firmly. “If it’s okay, I’d rather take the guest room. Please? I know the bond means I need to be around Jeff, but I don’t know if I’m ready for... _intimacy_ outside of a heat. I mean, Jeff’s been great, you too, Jared, but I barely know either of you, and um...”

“You need some time and space,” Jared suggested.

“I think we could all do with some time.” Jeff was doing his best to be diplomatic, but avoidance tactics would only go so far. “I don’t know if too much space is a good idea, though. Jared and I have had time to get to know each other, and if we want things to work out, and I know _I do_ , then Jensen, we’ve got to get to know you, and you’ve got to get to know us.”

“ _Us?_ ” Jared asked, but he didn’t sound upset. “Jensen’s not bound to me, Jeff. He doesn’t have to know me like you do.”

“I want to,” Jensen insisted. “I mean, you and Jeff _chose_ each other, Jared. I don’t want to drive you away if there’s a chance things could work.” He smiled nervously at Jared, and the Beta did his best to smile back.

“We all know it won’t be easy,” Jeff continued, “and it won’t be the same as it was, but can we all agree to try?”

So they did.

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jensen took the bus to and from the university after Jeff and Jared had both insisted that he continue his classes if that was what he wanted. Not that Jensen had ever been directly told that he couldn’t want things for himself--his family wasn’t _that_ traditional--but it was comforting to know that he still had some level of control.

Being in charge of his own transportation meant he could get away with stopping by a drugstore on the outskirts of the pack lands, and nobody but he and the bored looking clerk needed to know about the pregnancy test just yet.

Jensen read and reread the instructions and the labels on all the toiletries while he waited for the timer on his phone to go off, signaling the time to read the results. 

The cheery blue smiley face in the window had the opposite effect; Jensen frowned and felt his stomach plummet to his feet.

Things had been awkward and stilted, but he thought they’d been making progress. Things clicked easier with Jeff, but the bond let him sense a bit of Jeff’s emotions, which made conversations a little less of a minefield, and Jeff’s physical presence calmed Jensen, made him feel safe.

His relationship with Jared wasn’t _awful_. They had quite a lot in common, in fact. Jensen genuinely liked Jared, and he wanted to be at least tolerated in return, but he had trouble interpreting what Jared really thought. He was always polite, and he smiled and laughed when it would be expected, and Jensen was never sure what was a mask of mere tolerance and what might be the beginnings of genuine friendship.

A baby changed _everything_. Just a few days ago, he and Jared had gone to see a movie that Jeff hadn’t been interested in watching. Leaving the theater, they’d passed a young family on their way in to watch the latest animated feature.

“Jeff and I discussed adopting once or twice, even surrogacy,” Jared had confessed. “Now I guess there’s another option. I just always thought I’d get to be more involved when it happened.” 

Announcing this pregnancy felt like rubbing the bond in Jared’s face all over again. 

There was a knock at the door. “Jensen?” It was Jared. “Are you okay in there?”

“I’m fine!” He hoped he sounded convincing.

“Dinner’s ready, if you want to join us?”

“I’ll be right there.”

A>B>O>A>B>O

Jared had been watching Jensen and Jeff become closer and closer. They’d moved from sitting stiffly a few feet away from one another to Jensen contentedly leaning on the Alpha while they watched television in the evenings. He knew it was only a matter of time before Jensen was ready to try sex fully in control of himself.

Jared and Jeff hadn’t had sex since Jensen’s first heat ceremony, and Jared wondered whether they ever would again. He knew Jeff was probably waiting for him to make the first move, but Jared still had a lingering fear that he couldn’t measure up to the experience of Jensen in heat.

Jensen had been trying so hard to make nice with him, and Jared hated himself for keeping a distance. Jensen was sweet and _hot_ and Jared had caught himself wondering more than once what it would be like to take the Omega to bed, but he had no claim there.

Omegas went into heat two to three times a year, and Jared had resigned himself to the fact that when that happened in a few months, Jeff and Jensen would realize that he was truly extraneous.

He and Jeff were currently sitting at the table in awkward silence, the food slowly growing colder. He was about to go pester Jensen again when the Omega entered the room, looking a bit green around the gills.

“Are you sure you’re not sick, Jensen?” Jared asked, concerned despite his determination to maintain an emotional wall.

“Maybe a little,” Jensen admitted, both hands moving to cover his stomach. “I’m pregnant.”

Jeff and Jared just stared. Jared’s world came crashing down a little sooner than he expected.


	3. Embracing Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jared thinks he's only returning temporarily, as a favor.

The pregnancy had been the last straw for Jared. He couldn’t see how things could possibly work out well for him from this point. He had no place in Jeff’s life anymore, and Jeff couldn’t convince him otherwise. He packed a suitcase with enough clothes for a few weeks and arranged to stay with a close friend. He told Jeff not to bother calling.

Life had been a blur of routine after that, and before he knew it, months had passed. Every now and again he wondered how things were going with Jeff and Jensen, if he had been forgotten already.

Then one afternoon his phone rang and he answered without checking the number.

“Jared?” He almost hung up. “I know you told me not to call, but...we need you.”

A=B=O=A=B=O

Jared wasn’t sure what had possessed him to agree to Jeff’s request. He’d just sounded so desperate that Jared couldn’t help himself. He still loved Jeff, despite everything, after all.

Jeff had to take a week-long trip for work and couldn’t get out of it. The pregnancy had not been going well for Jensen, and now he’d come down with some kind of virus on top of that, and Jeff didn’t want to leave him alone. Apparently, Jensen had asked for him specifically. Poor kid must be delirious from a fever or something.

Jeff had been getting ready to leave when Jared arrived at the house. He blamed the overwhelming nostalgia for allowing Jeff to pull him into a tight embrace.

“Thanks for doing this, Jared. It’s so good to see you.”

“This is just until you get back,” Jared reminded him. “Jensen asked for me, so I’m here to help while he’s sick. That’s all.” 

Jeff forced a smile even though his eyes were sad. “Still good to see you.” He looked older than Jared remembered--maybe he was just stressed from work.

After he watched Jeff ride off to the airport in a taxi, he headed inside to check on his charge. Jensen was huddled on the couch under several blankets.

“Hi, Jensen. I hear things have been rough.”

“Jared! You came!” Jensen smiled at him, and even dripping snot, with heavy bags under his eyes, and hidden under several days’ worth of scruff, he was beautiful.

“I probably shouldn’t have.” Jensen suddenly looked distraught, so Jared hastened to add, “but it’s not your fault, Jensen, okay?”

A single tear ran down Jensen’s right cheek. “Yes, it is,” the Omega whispered. “I ruined everything!” 

Jared put a hand to his cheek to wipe away the dampness and was shocked at how warm Jensen’s skin was.

“We’ve got to get you cooled down,” he told Jensen gently. “Come on, let’s get you in a cool bath, okay?”

As the blankets fell away when Jensen stumbled to his feet, Jared was granted his first good look at the baby, which he had almost forgotten about. It looked like Jensen had swallowed a watermelon, and he moved with a noticeable waddle as Jared guided him down the hall. Jared did some quick mental math; if Jeff had gotten Jensen pregnant during that first heat he’d be about...

“Eight months along,” Jensen murmured, and Jared wondered if he’d said some of that aloud.

He ran a lukewarm bath and helped Jensen undress and climb into the tub. His eyes were continuously drawn to the taut roundness of Jensen’s belly. He was reminded of his reaction to seeing Jensen’s bloated abdomen after the heat, but this was even stronger. He felt his cock start to harden in his jeans.

“You can touch if you want,” Jensen offered. When Jared still hesitated, he reached out and grabbed one of Jared’s hands, dragging it over to the firm swell. A moment later, Jensen adjusted the position of the hand slightly and Jared felt the baby move under the stretched skin.

“That’s amazing,” he said in an awed whisper.

“You should come home,” Jensen told him. “Jeff is sad all the time. He misses you _so much_ , Jared. I miss you, too. I thought we were finally starting to be friends before my stupid biology ruined everything again.”

“I didn’t fit anymore, Jensen.” Jared sighed. “It was me. I left because I couldn’t stand just being a ghost in the background.”

“No,” Jensen stubbornly insisted, “Jeff loves you, don’t you see? You chose each other Jared, and that means something.”

“So what, Jensen? Are we just supposed to share him? Keep him stuck in the middle, trying to keep us both happy?”

Jensen shook his head and sighed. “Can I tell you a secret?” the Omega asked a short time later.

“I don’t think I could stop you.” Jared chuckled. “You’re awfully chatty when you have a fever.”

“I had a huge crush on you in school,” Jensen continued, ignoring Jared’s comment. “I told myself it was because you were ‘safe.’ Omegas never end up with Betas, and you were already married anyway. Now I know that’s not it. Know why?”

“Why?” Jared humored him and didn’t dare to hope.

“It’s ‘cause I’ve _still_ got a huge crush on you.”

A=B=O=A=B=O

The next morning Jensen stumbled into the kitchen, bleary-eyed but without a fever.

“Feeling better?” Jared asked him.

“Yes, thanks.” Jensen sat across the table from Jared.

“Well, if you don’t need me anymore-”

“I do.” Jensen’s expression was solemn. “Jeff does, too. I remember everything I said last night, Jared, and it wasn’t just fevered ramblings. Jeff isn’t whole without you, and if he isn’t, I can’t be either. I don’t want to raise this baby in a house full of sorrow--I don’t want him or her to grow up believing love can’t be chosen, can’t be fought for, isn’t worth the effort.”

“Jensen,” Jared started and then had to stop when he felt himself choking up, eyes starting to brim with tears. “I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to make myself believe you really want me.”

“Then let me prove it.” 

Jensen leaned as far across the table as he could manage with his impressive belly in the way, grabbed the front of Jared’s shirt, and dragged him forward to make up the difference, their mouths meeting in a hard kiss. Jared moaned into Jensen’s warm, soft lips. It certainly didn’t _feel_ faked.

“Give me a chance?” Jensen pleaded. “Just give me until Jeff’s due back in town. If I can’t change your mind by then, I’ll let you walk away and never bother you again.”

“Okay,” Jared reluctantly agreed, “but if this turns out to be just a hormonal thing, I’ll be very upset.” He smiled to take the sting out of the words.

“I’m not gonna lie,” Jensen responded, his own teasing smirk in place, “the hormones are a definite influence, but not as much as you might think.”

A=B=O=A=B=O

Jeff was a little surprised that no one met him at the door when he arrived home. Jared’s car was still in the driveway, but perhaps they had gone for a walk? Just in case, he called out, “Jared? Jensen? You guys here?”

“In here,” Jensen’s voice drifted from the back of the house. It sounded like it might be from the master bedroom. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Jensen _could_ have meant himself and the baby, but Jeff suspected that wasn’t what he meant. Hoping against hope, he pushed open the door to see Jensen and Jared sprawled on the bed, gloriously naked.

Jeff pinched himself-- _hard_. “I can’t believe this is real. I’ve dreamed about this so many times.”

“I talked Jared into giving us another chance,” Jensen purred.

“He can be really persuasive,” Jared added with a shrug and a grin.

“You’re really serious?” Jeff could feel his chin quivering, the level of emotion overwhelming. “You’ll come home?”

“Let us show you _how_ serious.”

Jeff stumbled over to the bed. Jensen awkwardly scooted his heavy form to the edge of the mattress and began untying Jeff’s tie and unbuttoning his shirt. Meanwhile, Jared slid up behind him and pulled off his suit jacket. Working as a team, it didn’t take them very long to have Jeff just as nude as them. The work the image of their unclothed bodies had begun in getting Jeff hard was completed by gentle caresses from two sets of strong hands.

“Come lay down here,” Jensen directed, patting the bed. “We think we found a position that’ll work okay.”

Jeff swallowed hard as he took his place. He would be content just to drink in the sight of these two beautiful men for hours, but he was excited to see what they had planned for him. Jensen crawled up over Jeff and stayed there, smiling softly down at him, his protruding belly button occasionally brushing lightly over Jeff’s abs. He was far enough forward that Jared could easily kneel behind him and situate himself over Jeff’s groin.

“I hope you don’t mind that we started without you,” Jared explained apologetically, “but we wanted to be able to get right to it.” He lowered himself onto Jeff’s throbbing member, and the Alpha realized his boys had prepped Jared so the glide in was smooth as silk. The Beta moaned happily as he was filled by Jeff for the first time in what felt like forever.

“So perfect, Jared,” Jeff mumbled, almost incoherent with pleasure and need. “I’d choose you again--I’d always choose you. I hope you know that.”

“I know,” Jared soothed. “I guess I’m just a little slow to adapt.” 

Jared bucked his hips forward and leaned back, supporting his weight on his strong arms. Realizing the plan, Jeff helped guide Jensen back onto the Beta’s erect shaft. Jensen let his knees spread wide and his shapely behind drop until most of his weight was distributed between Jeff, Jared, and his own hands, firmly anchored near Jeff’s shoulders. His laden womb rested on Jeff’s torso, and the Alpha occasionally felt movement from within, but he wanted more. 

Once he was certain Jensen had his balance, Jeff moved both his hands from his hips to that glorious orb, caressing it as he started a slow rhythm of gentle thrusts. Jared rocked back into Jeff’s movements and then in turn into Jensen, who made all kinds of interesting noises.

After what may have been only a few minutes or an eternity, Jared shifted his weight to one arm and brought the other hand forward to rest next to Jeff’s.

“Wanna feel our baby, too,” he panted. Those two words, “our baby,” were all it took to push Jeff over the edge. It was all he’d ever wanted, all of them together, one happy family. He knew it was still going to take a lot of work, and it might never be perfect, but this was a great start. 

The other two climaxed shortly after Jeff, and then there was some tricky maneuvering to get them all comfortable. Jensen lay in the middle, propped at an angle by pillows, belly rising like a small mountain. Jeff and Jared lay on either side, rolled so they could see one another around the bump. Jensen grabbed their available hands and intertwined their fingers, resting them on the crest of his belly, and then placed his own right hand on top. There was no movement from within at the moment, and Jeff took that as a sign that the baby was content as well.


	4. Epilogue - The Miracle of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jensen has the baby.

Jared sighed as he finished packing up all his papers to head home. It was hard to focus on work when Jensen was due to give birth any day now. Jared hadn’t received any calls, so it must not be time, yet.

He glanced at his cell and realized with dread that the screen was dark. He hurried to his car and hooked the device up to the car charger, turning the ignition just enough to activate the battery.

“Shit!” He had three missed calls and several texts from Jensen. He skipped to the most recent text.

"Guess I’ll just wait for you to get home because contractions still pretty far apart."

It had been sent two hours ago. Jared was surprised he wasn’t pulled over for speeding on the way home.

He found Jensen sitting rather calmly on the couch, considering the circumstances. He had the bag he’d been keeping packed for his hospital stay sitting next to him.

“I’m so sorry, Jensen” he apologized, “but I guess I forgot to charge my phone...”

“It’s okay.” Jensen rolled his eyes. “At least you had it with you. Jeff forgot his because I heard it ringing in the kitchen when I tried calling him earlier.”

“Did you try his office?”

Jensen shook his head. “He’s in court today, remember?”

“Why didn’t you just call an ambulance?”

“It’s not an emergency, Jared,” Jensen chuckled. “They’re expensive, and the baby doesn’t seem to be in too much of a hurry." As if the mention had triggered it, Jensen winced and began breathing through a contraction. Jared gaped for a minute as he could actually _see_ the muscles tensing.

Afterward, Jensen checked the wall clock. “Eight minutes since the last one,” he reported, “and my water hasn’t broken.”

Jared forced himself to calm down, remembering what they’d been told about when to head to the hospital. “Want me to get you anything?” he asked. “I can try calling the courthouse?”

Just then, Jensen’s cell, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to him, rang, and he answered it and put it on speaker.

“Jensen? It’s Jeff. I think I left my phone on the counter.”

“Yep,” Jensen answered far more calmly than Jared thought he ought to be able, “you did. I tried calling you earlier.”

“Is everything okay? Are you having the baby?” Jared was glad he wasn’t the only one panicking. Now he didn’t feel like quite such an idiot.

“Yes, and yes,” Jensen informed him, “but it’s not hospital time, yet. Jared will take me if that changes. When you get home, if we’re not here, that’s where we went.”

“The hearing just wrapped up, so I’m on my way.” He hung up abruptly.

“I swear, you two.” Jensen shook his head, but he was smiling. “It’s not like other people don’t do this _every day_.”

A+B+O+?

Jeff wasn’t home for another half an hour, but Jensen hadn’t progressed any further, so there was no harm done, really.

Jeff and Jared took turns helping Jensen make occasional, slow, waddling laps around the living room. He needed a little help with his balance because Omegas’ pelvises went through an extra burst of expansion and increased elasticity in the last few weeks of pregnancy, and when the change in his center of gravity was added on top of that, mobility was a tricky thing.

Time dragged onward. They were all tired but unable to sleep. Finally, as he was leaning heavily on Jeff to navigate the obstacle course of the ottoman, coffee table, and movie shelf, Jensen paused and made a surprised and disgusted face.

“I think my water just broke...”

“To the hospital!” Jeff and Jared chorused.

“Can I change pants first?” Jensen requested. When he saw the pair of sweats Jeff returned with, he started laughing.

“What?” Jeff asked, bemused.

“That’s the same pair you left for me after my first heat! I guess they’ve kind of come full circle, huh?”

Where the sweats had once been far too large on him, the pants now had no hope of stretching around his belly. Jared had to help him cinch the waist under the swell where he couldn’t possibly see to tie a knot.

Dry pants acquired, overnight bag in hand, all three cheered, “To the hospital!”

A+B+O+?

The rush of excitement lasted through check in and an epidural until they found themselves in a room, looking at more waiting.

“Three centimeters,” the nurse announced after a quick exam. “It’s probably going to be a while.”

“Hey, Jeff,” Jensen asked, perking up, “can you look in the outside pocket of my bag?”

Jeff did and came back with a deck of cards. “Genius!”

A+B+O+?

Several rounds each of five card draw, gin, crazy eights, and BS later, everyone had been accused of cheating, and in Jensen’s case, of faking a contraction as a distraction, at least once, but it helped pass the time.

As moving to the delivery room approached, a nurse came over to explain the preparations needed for the father to be in the sterile environment, but she had only one set of scrubs with her, which she handed to Jeff.

“What about Jared?” Jensen asked with a frown.

The nurse blinked. “Well, usually we try to limit the number of people in the room to just immediate family, and-”

“Jared _is_ family.” Jensen’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s okay, Jensen,” Jared tried to keep the increasingly riled Omega calm. “It’s Jeff’s baby biologically, and I’ll be first in line to see him or her right after they’re cleaned up.”

“No.” Jensen took a deep breath and turned to the nurse, absolutely and terrifyingly calm. “There are two options here. One, you can go get another set of scrubs because we all know there are more of them here, or two, someone can find me a phone and though I have never pulled rank in my life, I _will_ call the Alpha and ask him to make it an order. Your choice.”

The nurse scurried from the room. If Jared had to bet, his money was on her finding another set of scrubs.

Jeff grinned at Jensen. “Are you sure you’re not an Alpha?” Jensen snorted and gestured to his gravid form. “I think I might be a little afraid of this aggressive side of you.”

“I think it’s sexy,” Jared chimed in. “Thanks, Jensen. You didn’t have to terrify the staff for me.”

“Sure I did.” Jensen rubbed the side of his belly. “I _want_ you to be there, too. Besides, there’s _no way_ I’m letting them tell me how ‘special’ I am my whole life and then not give me what I want the _one time_ I feel like getting special treatment! Hypocrites...”

A+B+O+?

The delivery was messy and frankly, kind of gross, but the baby was well worth all of it. Little Hope Felicity Morgan was just about the most perfect Beta ever; they all agreed.

“She takes after Jensen in the looks department, thank goodness!” Jeff joked as he ran a finger down the baby’s downy soft cheek.

“Like you’re so _awful_ looking,” Jensen scoffed. “She’s got your coloring, though.”

“May I hold her?” Jared asked, even though he’d already done so dozens of times already. As he pulled her close, she snuggled into his chest and let out a tiny sigh. “She’s so amazing... Kind of makes me want more.” He tried to pass it off as a joke, but he suspected both Jeff and Jensen knew he meant it.

“You know,” Jeff mused with rather obviously faked casualness, “you and Jensen would also make a gorgeous baby.”

Jared was momentarily speechless. He knew that it was technically possible; he had viable sperm and Jensen could get pregnant outside of a heat. “You really mean that?” Jeff nodded.

“I’m game, too,” Jensen agreed, followed by a wide yawn, “but not for a few years, okay? I want to finish my degree and let Hope grow up a bit more first.”

“Sure.” Jared let Hope grip his index finger tightly in one of her tiny fists. He could wait. Everything he needed right now was already in the room.

A+B+O+b

END


End file.
